Pepper Paints

What’s On Our Table

Last Thursday I promised to share a new Friday feature and here it is Monday already!  More about that in a minute. Last Friday we went to Slate Run Farm. If you are not far from Columbus, I highly recommend a visit to this 1800′s historical, working farm. They often hold programs here too so be sure to check their schedule.

As often happens in the Spring, babies are born on the farm-a few sets of twins even!!

So back to my new Friday feature— What’s On Our Table. As I said last week - I love to strew and leave interesting stuff around for my kids to play with. When I taught pre-school this was one of my favorite things to do; set up the environment for the kids.  I have a small table in my dinning room that I like to leave stuff out on for the kids to find. I usually change this every Thursday (when I clean).  I try to change it up as much as I can. So one week it may be a game  or magnets  or a card making station. I never put anything messy here. It’s usually something they haven’t played with in a while, an interesting book, things that wouldn’t normally go together or something that has a connection to something else in our world. Here is a wooden marble game the kids played with at the farm.

And here is What’s On Our Table this week.

Strewing is a great way to expose your kids to different ideas and activities. Things they may or may not find interesting. By no means are my kids expected to read these things I leave out or they must solve the puzzles etc… My only hope is that they find it fun or interesting. Who knows what will catch their eye and then they will be off looking for more information or a different way to do something. Sometimes these things spark an interest and sometimes not.  I am always leaving interesting stuff all over the house but I make a conscious effort to change this table up once a week.

My hope is to post What’s On Our Table on Friday’s—feel free to share what you have strewn at your house too!

Bleh..

It’s another dull, gray day here in Columbus, Ohio. Almost everyone I have talked to around here in the past few days is ready for some sunshine and Spring weather but according to the calender we have several more weeks of this doom and gloom to contend with. This morning after an additional cup of coffee, I noticed at about 9am that it wasn’t much lighter than at 7am and I was figuring out how many hours until bedtime. I was planning to either sit on the computer all day or take a nap . Then the sun peaked out for a minute and I decided to bundle up and head outside with my camera to at least get some fresh air in hopes that it would wake me up. I only got a couple of shots worthy of posting but a little exercise and fresh air certainly helped get us through the day.

I bet he is wishing for Spring too!

I bet someone is missing this but probably better that they don’t find it now

a little evidence of life

like a crook of an arm or leg

Other than this I’ve got nothing. Not feeling too crafty or too motivated these days. Just feeling like hibernating and drinking tea and eating oranges. So that’s what I plan on doing!

Hello 2010

May this be the year we soar to new heights

Dance with reckless abandon

Stretch ourselves

Take risks

Toast our friends

May this be the year…………

Photos taken at First Night Columbus 2009

Kristina Isabelle/High Jinks Dance Co

KidCo

Thursday’s Recipe…..Homemade Sour Patch Kids, AKA Snowey Sugared Cranberries

I swear to heaven above that these really do taste like Sour Patch Kids. Only they are a little more healthy!

I saw this recipe on local, Columbus blogger Rachel’s,  Hounds in the Kitchen. I knew right away that I would love this sweet and Oh, so sour concoction!! And boy was I right! I barely have any enamel left on my teeth after eating almost a whole bag of these sugary, sour goodies.

You will need to mix :

2 T of honey with 2 T of hot water in a bowl. To that add grated orange peel, 1/2 t cinnamon (more or less)  and 1 teaspoon (more or less)  vanilla extract.

Rinse a bag of cranberries and add to the bowl, mixing to coat.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment and pour a mix of 1 to 2 cups of powder sugar and granulated sugar.

With a slotted spoon, add cranberries to the sugar mix and coat well.  Let sit about 30 minutes or until sugar hardens. Store in a jar for 3 to 4 days. I didn’t use a slotted spoon so  mine are still drying since this morning. But that didn’t stop me from eating them all day!!!

Take a Walk With Me (1)-Whetstone Park of Roses

Earlier this week, Maine Momma invited me to take a walk with her. I was so flattered to be asked! And so inspired by the “walks” others have shared!
Today was a perfectly, bright and beautiful Autumn day here in Columbus.
As we headed out the back of our yard I couldn’t help but notice the brilliant sun, vivid colors and long shadows.
Come take a walk with us to The Whetstone Park of Roses. Click on the button below to view my slide show.

Checking It Off

I can’t believe how fast this summer is going by. We have a list of activities, projects and places to visit this summer and I feel like all of a sudden I am trying to fit everything in to our calendar. We have been spending most of our days at the pool. Ginger has taken up perfecting her flipping, jumping and diving off the diving board.   Last week we did manage family night at the zoo, dime a dog night with The Clippers, a lecture on The Sells Brothers Circus, ( the Sells Circus was based here in Columbus), and a local church festival.  We also spent a good deal of time lounging around with our new haul of books from our most excellent Main Library.

Today I asked what the girls wanted to do and this is what they choose:

a short hike to this:

Hayden Falls -a hidden gem not to far from us!

Followed by a picnic lunch in the park. A perfect afternoon!!

Make Your Own Finger Paint

This is a super easy recipe for uncooked finger paint you can make at home.

1/2 cup powder tempra paint—check your local teacher or art supply store.( If you are in the Columbus area check out Star Beacon.)

2 Tablespoons liquid starch

1 teaspoon liquid dish detergent —oops I am pretty sure I used 1 Tablespoon!

water to thin out the paint

Mix it all up and thin it out with water to your desired consistancy. You will want it to be a little bit thick.

Shiny  or coated paper holds up best to finger paint. Freezer paper works well too.

It always starts off softly, clean hands, clean paper. But that doesn’t last very long!

Finger painting is so much about the process and not the product!! Usually the finished product of finger painting is ripped paper full of brown, muddied paints. So I was pleasantly surprised by some of Molly’s paintings. Learning when to stop, when enough is enough. The sign of a true artist!